Build. Give. Invest: A Framework That’s Worth the Risk

I can sum up most of the teaching I’ve encountered about Christian finances in two words: make and give. Since coming to faith in my 20s, it has mostly been taught to me that if I am going to be successful, I should make as much money as possible so I can give away as much as possible. 

The implication here is that the most holy thing to do with your money is to donate it. Send it to the nonprofits. Give your tithe. And then wait for your reward in heaven. 

As an investor, this has always felt incomplete. While God certainly calls me to give, he has also called me as an entrepreneur and investor to use a portion of my capital to invest in for-profit companies that, by design, aren’t doing philanthropic work. So, I’ve had to wrestle with how these vocations fit with God’s vision for my finances. 

Where Does Investing Fit? 

It sure does seem like it has to belong somewhere because after years of working with Faith Driven Entrepreneurs and Investors around the world, I know one thing for sure: these people are having incredible kingdom impact. They are building culture and influencing their communities through their companies. Nonprofits and charities are absolutely an essential tool God uses to advance his Kingdom. But it is not the only way. Charitable giving is one (very important!) way to honor God with our finances, but it’s not the only way. 

That’s why we at Faith Driven Investor have started thinking about a threefold framework that consists of building, giving, and investing. 

Let’s Break Down Each of These

Giving is what most of us are probably most familiar with. This is our philanthropic capital that directs money where it’s needed most, in emergency situations and places with great, immediate needs. But, giving doesn’t solve every problem. 

Recent leaders like Brian Fikkert have pointed out that, in some cases, charity can hurt more than it helps. Sometimes investment capital is needed to advance emerging regions. In their book, The Prosperity Paradox, Clayton Christensen and Efosa Ojomo show how business and innovation can help lift nations out of poverty even more rapidly than charities in some cases.

That’s why we have to think about how we build, too. Enterprises offer an incredibly diverse collection of life-changing ways to stand in the gap. They boost economies, and they create sustainable, long term solutions. This isn’t to replace our giving. It’s in addition to it. Those companies need investment capital to reach their full potential.  

Too often we think of these as three distinct and separate pursuits. As a result, they become siloed obligations rather than wholly integrated endeavors. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can pull all our capital from one pocket and see how God will use all of the capital for his glory. 

This sounds good to most of us, but the challenge comes when we really consider what it really means to surrender all we have to God. If we’re going to build, give, and invest for God’s glory, we have to be prepared to think differently about what we build and how we invest. For many of us, that will require us to redefine our relationship with risk. 

I know for me this has been less of a one-time decision and more of an ongoing journey. Over the years, I’ve had to often ask myself that if I truly believed all that God promises in the Bible, would I act the same way I do, think the same way I do, invest the same way I do? The concept of hedging in my own life has all too often looked as if it’s a hedge against God’s promises not being true — just in case He fails to clothe the lilies of the field, just in case He doesn’t actually have a plan to prosper me. 

This is a Dangerous Trap  

Rather than renewing my mind and orienting my heart on Him, I am often tempted to fall right into the trap the rest of the world trips over: the worries of the world and the deceitfulness of riches. In the Parable of the Sower, this is the last obstacle that prevented the 30-, 60-, and 100-fold return. If we want to experience the fullness of what God has to offer, then we have to be willing to give him all we have. We have to trust Him with not just our philanthropic capital but our investments, too. 

For many of us – me included – the challenge is not in saying that we fully trust God. All who call themselves Christians do in some sense. But too often, our actions reveal that what we really trust is our bank accounts. 

If we spend the majority of our time and focus on building up resources for our enjoyment and safety, what does that tell us about whether we’re serving God or Mammon?  

When we spend all our energy and efforts hedging against risk, hedging against inflation, hedging against this, hedging against that, our entire life becomes a hedge. There’s the possibility that the faith we declare might only be a ticket to the afterlife. If we doubt the promises of God so severely that we place all our trust in our own ability to manage risk, then it’s possible we may not believe in what God has actually promised us. And until we get to that full level of commitment, we will miss out on the fullness of what God offers.

So how do we arrive at this risky perspective where we’re willing to build, give, and invest?

I won’t pretend to have some secret formula. Frankly, what I’m saying here causes me just as much discomfort as you may be feeling right now. I’m in the process alongside you. We all are. 

But here are three things that have helped me on my journey: 

1. Pray – I want to encourage all of us to spend time on our knees asking God to search our hearts and show us where and how our investments might better serve Him. To do anything else would be too risky. 

2. Discern – Whether you’re building, giving, or investing, I don’t want to encourage you to recklessly throw money at projects and hope that something good comes of it. There’s still wisdom and discernment required in all things.  

3. Walk with Others – The very process of endeavoring to step out to make investments with wisdom brings us into a relationship with others who are trying to accomplish the same mission. This is the community God is calling us toward.

And there is a process of seeking out counsel from advisors and peers, both home and abroad, that keeps God at the forefront. Finding other Christ-followers who are seeking to make wise investments broadens our understanding of what God is doing and allows us to participate in His work. Yes, that can be messy. Yes, it’s time-consuming. But it’s so much richer than trying to do it alone. That is why we have designed Faith Driven Investing courses that bring together like-minded investors to grow alongside each other. 

The road to building, giving, and investing is risky. We have to ask ourselves: Do we really believe that? Do we really believe that God is working in and through the faithful investments of His people? Do we really believe that He will take care of us? Do we really believe that He’s in complete control over all the money and markets in the world? Do we really believe that every investment has an impact? 

Even asking these questions can be risky. You may end up thinking differently about how you build, give, and invest. But the riskiest thing we can do is play it safe. Pray and seek the will of God. And open up your head, heart, and mind to the fact that He may have something incredible in store for you — if you’re willing to take the risk. 

Article by Henry Kaestner,  co-founded the Faith Driven Entrepreneur and Faith Driven Investor ministries, and has been a catalyst behind both movements. He and his team seek to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs, investors, funds, partners, and advisors through content, community, and connections.

Henry is also a Co-Founder and Partner at Sovereign’s Capital, a private equity and venture capital management company that invests in faith driven entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia and the U.S. Prior to co-founding Sovereign’s Capital, Henry was co-founder, previous CEO, and Chairman of Bandwidth (NASDAQ:BAND) and its sister company, Republic Wireless.

In addition, Henry has been involved in a number of other ministries and philanthropic activities. He co-founded DurhamCares, was a founding Board Member of Praxis, and sits on a variety of business and ministry boards.

Henry serves as an elder in the Presbyterian Church of America and lives in Los Gatos with his wife Kimberley with whom he raised three adult boys.